Brian’s Blog was created for all of his friends, family, fans, and community members who are cheering him on in his fight against leukemia. Brian graduated from HHS in May of this year. Many people know Brian due to his leadership, sportsmanship, and outstanding athletic achievements including three state championships in wrestling, a state football championship, state discus champion 2011 and varsity track and soccer teams. He had received a call to serve a full-time mission to Uruguay and was planning to start his mission at the end of the month. After completing his mission to Uruguay, Brian planned to play football at SUU where he has already received a full-ride scholarship. Brian was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) on Tuesday October 2nd. That very day he was taken to Salt Lake City for intensive inpatient care. He has been receiving chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and other treatments. We hope and pray that Brian will recover with the help of competent medical care. Doctors say that there is an 80% chance that Brian’s cancer will respond favorably to treatment. Thank you so much for your support. We will keep you updated regularly on Brian’s progress.

Update: On January 14, 2014, Brian passed away after a 15 1/2 month battle with leukemia. He was in remission following the first series of chemotherapy treatments for only 3 months, in spite of earlier optimism. Another harder hitting chemotherapy began in June with the intention of following with a bone marrow transplant but instead, alternative treatments in Colorado Springs and later Atlanta were chosen. Those also were unsuccessful, too little too late. In November he underwent yet more chemotherapy in Denver. The leukemia did not respond. Brian returned home to Southern Utah friends and family on December 12, 2013. Leukemia took his mortal life, but it can't touch his spirit.

Thursday, January 23, 2014

We would like to thank so many people for all of their financial support and prayers. Some of our well-meaning family and friends have put on the internet requests for funds to help us with money to help pay for Brian's many medical bills. We have not authorized any Facebook fundraiser. The "Brawl For Brian", on January 30th, will be the final fundraiser. We, as Brian's mother and father, feel that Southern Utahns have been reaching into their pockets long enough for us. Thank you for everything you all have done for us. You have helped us immensely, and we have been blessed. We hope in the future to establish a scholarship fund for deserving athletes in Brian's behalf.
In the meantime, thanks for being such special friends to us and to Brian. We love you.
Randy and Jane Scott

I couldn't even post the funeral here a week ago. It was more than I could do. I tried, and just walked away.

Losing Brian was tough. Oh, how we miss him! But how thankful we are to know that he is released from all he had to endure, and is in a much happier state. I have to say, it was a learning experience. I learned how kind and wonderful so many, many people are. I learned how much stronger Brian was in character than I ever knew before, seeing him endure so much. He did some funny stuff from time to time, that lightened the moments. He liked to tease and would fake a startle to the nurses from time to time when they stuck a thermometer in his ear, or things like that. Sometimes he grew impatient, because he wasn't one who liked to wait around. After one round of chemo in Salt Lake, Brian was tired of waiting for all the paperwork and this and that before they would let us go home. I was waiting at the nurses desk and finally Brian said he was going... and he walked out! The nurses' eyes popped out and jaws dropped. "Where is he going?" "He's gone...to the car. No point in stopping him." Later, while waiting in line at the hospital pharmacy, I got a call from Brian. "Moma, what level did you park the car on?"

In Denver, the CT scan transport and Pre-OP people showed up at his door both wanting to take him at the same time. I really wanted him to get the CT first. We talked, and they talked and I thought and time was wasting. Brian popped out of bed, grabbed his IV pole and walked to the service elevator and proceeded to walk to CT. I quickly followed and so did transport. Don't you want a wheelchair? No. He walked all the way to CT. His nurse waited with me outside the door. Then, when that was done, he walked to Pre-OP. The nurse there was so flustered, she didn't know what to do. He was still in his t-shirt and gym shorts! When the CT results arrived to the Pre-OP confirming he needed to have the right lobe of his lung removed, I got emotional. He stayed calm, assuring me that it would be all right. And he went through it, patiently, making friends with the surgical team along the way.

When we got back to St. George, he was not in the best shape. In time he actually got better for a while, and even got to do a little walking in the halls again. He insisted on taking the IV pole in one hand and dragging the oxygen tank in the other, himself. The day he finally got to go home, tired of waiting on paperwork and whatever, he did it again. He walked out of the hospital...all the way, clear out across the parking lot to the truck. He insisted. It wouldn't be so unusual, if he hadn't been in such bad shape. What a joy it was when we got home to see him poking around the kitchen looking for food. Like the old days. One day he put his arm around my shoulders and had me walk with him into the kitchen...just to check the cupboard and the fridge! Sweet memories.

This has been a long, hard journey, mostly for Brian, but I was blessed to make it with him and even though there were tough times, I am thankful I could spend it with him. Coming home to St. George was the most amazing experience. The love coming from so many friends and family was just amazing. We were so glad to be home. Our family shared an experience that we will never forget. I thought we were close, but now we are that much closer.

The support after his passing was so comforting. We were and continue to be deeply touched by the many people who offered their support and condolences, prayers and love. What an experience it has been! Thank you so very, very much! You held me up through some very hard days. We will be together with Brian again, and we know that he is doing well now.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Just want to say thank you to you wonderful, faithful friends and supporters for coming through for the blood drive yesterday. Randy tried to warn the Red Cross that you were coming, but they had no idea how much love and outpouring would be forthcoming. We are overwhelmed by your generous gifts of life (blood donations) given in Brian's behalf! We love you guys. What a great community we live in. Thank you for your continued prayers after so many, many months. You are the best.♥

Friday, January 10, 2014

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Thank you all for your many prayers. The white cells have begun to recover, but they have not changed. They are largely leukemia cells. The doctors here have no more help. Transplants require a very minimal percentage of leukemia cells. Thus, we are trying to get Brian back to Dixie Medical where he can receive life sustaining transfusions while he can survive. That isn't to say we have given up hope, but it is the next step in this journey. We hope that Brian will be able to see those he loves and has missed very soon. He understands what is happening, and has not given up the fight nor the hope. We pray for a miracle, not knowing of course the will of our Creator, who has not left us alone, but has comforted and guided us through this most challenging experience.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

It will be 3 weeks since the last chemo, and longer than that since Brian has had healthy white blood cells. Fungus has attacked his body, and while meds have gotten it under control, some traces still remain...in his lung. That is what today's CT scan revealed. Ugly news. However, we are hopeful that the white blood cells will come back and put up a fight. Earlier this week they were up to .6 for a day, but dropped clear down a couple days later to .1 . Today was .3, which is better. They say when the marrow wakes up there are fluctuations and then it takes off. Totally ready for take off. Tonight he has to go in for another MRI, to check up on the tongue, throat and neck area to make sure nothing has grown there either. I hope there are no surprises reports from them, the lung report today was not expected and so not looking for any more disturbing news. Regardless, Brian is going to pull through this trial, and he is doing better today. He recovered this week from an allergic reaction which swelled up his tongue, then started swelling the cheeks, ran him fevers just about round the clock, and gave him a royal rash from head to toe, which still remains, but is fading as it should. He has met his caloric intake the last 3 days now, and even though it is a liquid diet, just the fact that he has avoided TPN (IV nutrition) is a great accomplishment, which he did manage to do even when it drove him to tears for the pain. He didn't want to do the damage to his body that he had last time with the TPN, which took quite a while to recover from. When you don't eat normally, the internal organs that usually are busy processing food and nutrients tend to die out, shrivel. He still takes extra pain meds prior to drinking his supplements but it isn't hurting to swallow as bad as it was, and he actually enjoyed a banana blended in his smoothie this morning. When he sees an ad for pizza on TV, he groans a little and says he wants to eat a whole pizza!

He has recovered nicely from the lung surgery, also, by the way. That is good.

So, if we all can pray for those white cells to come back surely things will be looking up soon! Thanks for checking in and for your love and prayers.

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December 8, 2013

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Play time, finally. Sept. 19,2013

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Brian at Coral Pink Sand Dunes September 2013, getting ready for fun.

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20th Birthday

Our sincere thanks go to the Lemmon Team (ERA Brokers Consolidated): Jim, Rand, Nancy & Ryan for generously putting together the super movie fundraiser, Skyfall, and to the many who supported it on November 10th to help pay for medical expenses!

St. George Events presented Brian with a large check from a dance held in Washington City in October. Thank you Abraham Thiombiano and friends!

Jannica Johnson, 9 years old from Toquerville, came up with the idea to have a bake sale to help with Brian's medical costs. So she did it last Saturday! Pictured here are (L-R): Jannica, Raelee and Bryce Johnson, her sister and brother. Ryan and Laycee Johnson are their parents. The bake sale was a success! Thank you, Jannica!!

This is a sign that the football team held up during the dance concert for Brian.

New look.

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. ~Winston Churchill